Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.
He that heareth you heareth Me; and he that despiseth you despiseth Me; and he that despiseth Me despiseth Him that sent Me. Luke 10:13-16
Cities
Yet There Is Room
“And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, ‘Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.’ Then said He unto him,
‘A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: and sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, ‘Come; for all things are now ready.’ And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’
So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind.’ And the servant said, ‘Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.’ And the lord said unto the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.’ ” Luke 14:15-24
Christmas Day Ten and Two
What do I want for Christmas today?
I want for all my children and their spouses to be at peace with God through Christ Jesus, at peace with themselves, and with their families; so there will be peace in their homes, and ultimately in their neighborhoods, cities, State, and Country; and I want that for every family of the U. S. of A..
“I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for Thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8 (KJV)
“Great peace have they which love Thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” Psalm 119:165
Revival
“Now when all this was finished, all Israel that were present went out to the cities of Judah, and brake the images in pieces, and cut down the groves, and threw down the high places and the altars out of all Judah and Benjamin, in Ephraim also and Manasseh, until they had utterly destroyed them all. Then all the children of Israel returned, every man to his possession, into their own cities.” 2 Chronicles 31:1 (KJV)
Hezekiah was a godly king, and did that which was right in the sight of the LORD (29:1-2). He called the remnant of the northern kingdom to join with the people of the southern kingdom to restore the Passover, and proper worship to the Lord in Jerusalem; and many of the people came (30:1-12).
Both kingdoms were guilty of godless kings, leading the people away from God and the proper worship of Him who alone is worthy of worship. Ahaz; Hezekiah’s father was one of the worst of Judah.
As a result of the people of the remnant of the northern kingdom coming to Jerusalem and worshipping with the people of the southern kingdom was that they all returned to their lands, and destroyed the idols, images, high places, and done what was right and godly. They had a revival in the land.
People of God of any day when they get right with God will rid themselves, their land, their homes of anything that is an offense to God, the LORD. The greatest enemy to God’s people – To the Christian today is harboring, hanging on to that sinful thing that we want to hang on to. What is it? That thing that keeps you from a right fellowship with God.
Pride, greed, lust, lying, shedding innocent blood, wicked mind and thoughts, sowing discord among brethren: you can apply your own there. What is our greatest enemy? See 2 Corinthians 10:5. Throw it down.
Jesus: Judgment and Cities
“Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.” ~Jesus (Matthew 11:20-24)
Mark Ten – One Through Twelve
MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE QUESTION AS A TRAP FOR JESUS.
“1 And he arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again. 2 And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. 3 And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? 4 And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. 5 And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. 6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. 7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; 8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. 9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 10 And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter. 11 And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. 12 And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.” Mark 10:1-12 (KJV)
This question and answer is a very important one for the 21st century and all centuries ahead. How we view marriage will affect the society and culture we live in. When God and His Word are honored, obeyed, and heeded then love and respect for others will be prominent in the marriage, home with the children and in governments.
Though this question is put to Jesus to trap Him, it is one Jesus answered, and no other answer is valid, but that of Jesus. Always looking for a way out, instead of a way to improve, or to make a relationship better; is a cowards way. The best way is not the easy way, and because something is hard does not make it the wrong way. Let no one think that God approves of divorce and remarriage. As a matter of fact He still hates it.
In Matthew’s account (19: 3); the Pharisees came to Jesus and asked the question this way, “Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?” In asking the question it shows what mentality the Pharisees were of. It was the belief and practice of that day that a man could “Put away” [divorce] his wife for what ever reason he desired. If she burnt the toast one morning he could divorce her. If she looked cross eyed at him he could give her a writing of divorce, and send her hiking out the door of his home.
Here is what the Old Testament says of this,
“When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house. 2 And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife. Deut 24:1-2 (KJV)”.
The idea of this law was to protect the woman from a life of torment, loneliness, and poverty. Jesus said, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment.” Mark 10:5 . The “God idea” of marriage was one woman, one man, for a lifetime. Due to the sin in mankind’s heart God gave provision for divorce.
We must remember that by Old Testament law adultery was punishable by death. Any man or woman found guilty of adultery was subject to public stoning, unto death. Who ever, for no reason other than a “want” of change divorces their spouse and marries another is guilty of “adultery”. That is the message Jesus is giving to these Pharisees. Thus, showing them the fallacies of their beliefs, and teachings that divorce was okay, no matter the reason. It is important for us in this day to remember what God says in Malachi about divorce;
“Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. 16 For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.” Mal 2:15-16 (KJV)
J. C. Ryle gives us three rules for marriage,
“The first is to marry only in the Lord, and after prayer for God’s approval and blessing. The second is not to expect too much from their partners, and to remember that marriage is, after all, the union of two sinners, and not of two angels. The third rule is to strive first and foremost for one another’s sanctification. The more holy married people are, the happier they are. “Christ loved the church, and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify it.” (Eph. 5:25, 26.)”
Let us strengthen our nation, our cities, and our churches by strengthening our faith in God, and His Word; and let’s begin at home in our marriages by loving our spouse with the heart of God.
-Tim A. Blankenship
PROMISES AND PROPHECIES 7-9
PROPHECIES OF ENEMIES FROM THE NORTH.
A. Ezekiel 38:15 – “And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army:”
B. Ezekiel 38:2 – “Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him”
1. Notes: Rosh is present day Russia. Meshech is present day Moscow, and Tubal is Present day Tabolsk.
C. Ezekiel 38:11 – “And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates” NOTE: New cities of Israel are now unwalled.
D. Ezekiel 38:12 – “To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.”
1. Notes; “Midst of the land.” Any world map shows Palestine to be the center of land area. The Dome of the Rock is the center of the earth. The word Mediterranean means the middle or center of the earth or terrain.
E. Ezekiel 38:15 – “And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army”.
1. NOTE: “Armies of Russia on horses”; Russia has 70% of all horseflesh in the world today!
F. Ezekiel 38:5 – “Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: 6 Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee”.
1. NOTE: These countries are Persia, Ethiopia, Libya (North Africa), Gomer (Germany), and Togarmah (Turkey). These countries plus Egypt, Lebanon and Jordon comprise the United Arab Republic as we know it today.
VIII. PROPHECIES CONCERNING THE LANGUAGE.
A. Zephaniah 3:9 – “For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.” Zeph 3:9 (KJV)”
B. Jeremiah 31:23 – “Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As yet they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I shall bring again their captivity; The LORD bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness.” (KJV).
Note; the State of Israel was born with a language barrier of 70 different languages from all over the world. In order to have a uniform tongue they adopted the national language of Hebrew, which is being taught in every school there today.
IX. PROPHECY CONCERNING THE EXCAVATED CITIES.
A. Ezekiel 36:11 – “And I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bring fruit: and I will settle you after your old estates, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.” (KJV).
Note; “Old Estates” – By governmental law, the ancient excavated cities must retain their old names.
B. Ashkelon: Zephaniah 2:4 – “For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up. Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant. 6 And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks. 7 And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.” (KJV).
C. REBUILD: Ezekiel 36:33 – “Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day that I shall have cleansed you from all your iniquities I will also cause you to dwell in the cities, and the wastes shall be builded. 34 And the desolate land shall be tilled, whereas it lay desolate in the sight of all that passed by. 35 And they shall say, This land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are become fenced, and are inhabited.” (KJV).
Edited for tags and categories by t.a. 03/12/10
The Fire and Hammer 